Emails are considered the formal mode of communication for business today. Sending emails through email services like Gmail is fine when you need to send a limited number of emails. However, normal email services are not fit for sending large numbers of emails, such as promotional,  welcome emails, or transactional emails. Sending bulk emails needs more than just an email address.

There are many solutions for sending bulk marketing emails, but most of them are expensive. Amazon with its other services provides a budget-friendly yet effective solution for sending bulk emails. It is called SES ( Simple Email Service). Though it is a simple email service, the initial setup needs a bit of technical skills. We will provide some tips and tricks for the SES setup in this article.

What Is Amazon SES?

Let us talk about the Amazon SES a little before we start setting it up. Amazon SES is a scalable email service made for developers and businesses to send multiple emails regarding notifications, alerts, and transactions. Amazon SES is also loved by email marketing experts for email campaigns. The robust Amazon server helps in higher deliverability, managing IP addresses, and complying better with internet regulations. The low cost is the most popular feature of Amazon SES. Another feature is the detailed analytics of sender deliverability and recommendations for improving it. Amazon SES also provides automated rectification of the problems to increase deliverability. 

The Pre-requisites

Before setting up Amazon SES one must do the following:

• One must have an Amazon AWS account. If you do not have it, then sign up now.
• After signing up, one must verify the domain and email addresses they will use for SES purposes. If not verified then at the time of setting up SES, it will ask you to verify.

Amazon SES Setup

• First, log in to the AWS Management Console and go to the SES section.
• Then in the SES dashboard, you will find Create Identity under the Verified Identity section. Choose the Domain tab to verify your domain.
• SES provides DNS records, which need to be added to your domain DNS settings.
• After this, SES will verify your domain for authentication.
• Next, you need to choose the Email Address tab instead of the Domain tab to verify your email addresses.
• Once you add your email address, SES will send a verification mail to that email address with a confirmation link.
• After this you may start sending emails but for a very limited quantity. To increase the limits, you have to raise a request to increase the limit with the declaration of your intention and purpose of sending emails.

Tips For Getting Optimum Benefits From SES

Use Verified Identity 

Always try to use verified identities (domain and email addresses) for better deliverability rates. This will also help to avoid regulation violations.

Maintain Protocols

Try to implement and maintain protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. This will enhance your sender’s reputation, which will help increase deliverability. 

Use SES Metrics To Improve

Amazon SES provides insights through detailed reports. They also provide recommendations and automated implementation to increase your email deliverability. Make good use of this feature to enhance deliverability.

Keep Account Of Email Limits

As Amazon SES does not provide an open limit for sending emails, always keep an eye on the limits. Before you start any large marketing campaign check your limit and raise a request to increase the limit if required.

Integrate Other AWS Services

You may integrate other AWS services such as Lambda, S3, and SNS with SES to improve your email-sending capabilities. 

Setup IAM Users For SES

It is advisable to create separate mail IDs for IAS (Identity Access Management) users and not use AWS core account credentials to access the SES section.

Final Words

Amazon SWA services including SES are reliable, and reputed for scalability and effectiveness. You can integrate Amazon SES into your email infrastructure to build a robust email-sending process. The initial setup of SES and enhancing your email campaign game will be easy if you follow the steps and tips mentioned in this article. There is no doubt that Amazon SES is providing an effective solution at a competitive rate for sending bulk emails. 

FAQ

Q: How is Amazon SES different from other email services?

A: Amazon SES is an email-sending service that is specially made for sending bulk emails for transactions, notifications, alerts, etc. by developers and businesses. However, businesses also use it for their marketing emails. Unlike traditional email services, SES offers AWS services’ integration, scalability, and cost-effective solutions.

Q: Why is it mandatory to verify the domain and email addresses for Amazon SES?

A: The verification process of domain and email address determines that you are authorized to communicate through that particular domain and email address. The determination of authority is required to abide by the regulations.

Q: Can Amazon SES be used to send bulk marketing emails?

A:  Yes, you can use Amazon SES for sending bulk marketing emails. However, you must ensure that you send emails to legitimate recipients and abide by all regulations set by authorities.

Q: How can I monitor the performance of my email campaign in SES?

A: Amazon SES provides detailed reports and insights of the campaign. They also recommend changes to improve the results and one can opt for automated implementation of recommendations to accelerate the process.

Q: What is the email sending limit in Amazon SES?

A: SES allows a very limited number of emails to be sent at the beginning. However, as per your requirement, the number can be increased by raising a request with the properly mentioned purpose of your campaign or emails.